Draft equalizer



NOV. 3, 1931. G KARMANN A 1,830,111

DRAFT EQUALIZER Original Filed July 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 3, 1931. G, KARMANN 1,830,111

DRAFT EQUALI ZER Original Filed July 16. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 60?? fa/www@ Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE KARMAN, OF STANTON, NEBRASKA 13R-.AFT EQUALIZER Application filed Julyl, 1929, Serial No. 378,764. Renewed March 28, 1931.

This invention relates to an improvement in draft equalizers, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a device which may be attached to the tongue or pole of L a vehicle so as to permit the use of an unequal number of horses on either side of the pole, and yet maintain an equal forward pull upon the pole.

A still further object of the invention is 4, to provide a draft equalizer, so constructed as to be capable of use with either three or four horses. to be disposed on either side of the pole or vehicle tongue in an unequal num ber, by use o'f a part or the entire equipment y, as is desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a draft equalizer which will vbe of simple and inexpensive structure, capable of use with any desired number of horses, will 3,1, be strong, durable, practical and eflicient in use, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose intended;

Further objects and advantages of the in' vention will become apparent to the reader 7, during a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my entire device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a modified form of my device.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of one of 3.; the connecting bars, and

Figure 5 is a detail perspective of one of the draft levers.

With reference to the drawings, attention is first directed to Figure 1 wherein is illus- 4.o trated one embodiment of my invention capable for use when itis desirous of employing four horses in the draft. With reference to Figure 1, the numeral 5 designates a primary draft lever adapted for association with 4:3 the forward end of a vehicle tongue or pole. The lever 5 is provided with an outward bend 6, and one end of the lever 5 is provided with a pair of spaced openings 4 to permit it fas tening to the vehicle tongue or pole by means 5o of bolts or other suitable fastening means,

while the extreme end of the curved portion 6 of the lever 5 is offset as at 7 and is provided with an opening 8 on the odset portion for a purpose to be hereinafter fully set forth. Pivotally connected to the under face of the lever 5 as at 9 is a bar 10, on the outer .end of which bar 10 is a link 11 secured thereto as at 12 and the outer end of the link 11 carries a whifie tree 13 for a single horse. A second bar 14 is pivoted intermediate its ends to one end of the bar 10 as at 15. The inner end of the bar 14 is offset as at 16 and extends transversely of the lever 5, and the inner end of said bar 14 being provided with an opening 17` to permit of its connection to the draft lever 5 bymeansof a link 18 pass ing through an opening 17 in the bar 14 and the opening 18 in the lever 5. Connected as at 19 to the opposite end of the second bar 14 is a secondary draft lever 20, extending at right angles to the bar 14. The secondary draft lever 20 is also outwardly curved as at 21, and the extremity of the curved portion 21 being offset as at 22 toprovide a pro- Vjection 23 for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The lever `2()` is also odset .as at 24 adjacent its pivotal connection 19.` A bar 25 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends as at 26 to the lever 20, and one end of the bar 25 is also provided with Va link 27 secured thereto as at28, said link carryinga whifl'le tree 29 for a.v single horse, and the whiifle tree 29 being preferably disposed in alinement with the primary draft lever5. A

bar 30 of a structure similar to the bar 14 is pivoted intermediate its ends to the other end of the bar 25 as at 31, and'said bar 30 `being offset as at 32 to extend transversely of the secondary lever 2() and is connected to the extension 23 of the lever 20 by means of a link 83. A link 34 is secured to the free end of thev bar 30 and extends at right angles thereto, and secured to the outer end of the link 34 is an equalizer 35 carrying whiflle trees 36 for two horses.

In Figure 2 Ihave shown the device minus the primary lever 5, bar 10, together with the second bar 14 so that if itis desirous of .usingv but three horses, that embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figure 2 may be used for this purpose.

In Figure l I have illustrated that embodiment of my invention for use for four horses, and it will be readily apparent that the device is attached to the forward end of the vehicle tongue, the primary draft lever 5 being rigidly secured thereto as before described, the device is so arranged as to equalize the draft between the four horses, two oi said horses being disposed on one side of the tongue, one in direct alinement with the tongue, and one on the other side of the tongue, and it will be observed that when the horses are secured to the whiifle trees and started, the strain will come directly to the levers 5 and 20, but as the bars 10 and 25 are pivotally connected to the respective lever and also pivotally connected to the bars 14 and 30 respectively, which bars are in turn connected to the respective levers, the horses may readily adjust themse ves and the draft be perfectly equalized.

When it is desired to use but three horses, only that portion of the device as illustrated in Figure 2 is used, and again it will be observed that when the horses are secured to the whie tree and then started the strain will come directly to the secondary lever 2O to which is pivotally connected the bar 25 which has the bar 30 pivot-ally secured thereto and one end of the bar 30 being secured to the lever 2O to permit an easy adjustment of the horses and equalize the strain between the two horses on one side and the single horse on the other.

In view of the apparent simplicity of the device, and the ease with which it may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, it is believed that a more detailed description of the device is unnecessary.

From the foregoing therefore it will. be seen that I have provided a simple, practical and efficient draft equalizer which can be easily adapted for use for three or four horses, and wherein the strain will be evenly disposed between the animals.

lVhile I have herein shown and described certain structural detail features of my invention, it is to be understood that certain changes may be made therein, coming` within the spirit of the invention as described, and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I wish to claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A draft equalizer comprising a main draft lever adapted to be secured at one end thereof to a draft tongue of a vehicle, said lever at its other end being curved outwardly and the extremity of said curved end being offset, a bar pivoted intermediate its ends adjacent the curved portion of said lever, said bar being provided at one end with means for attachment to a draft animal, a second bar pivoted intermediate its ends to the first mentioned bar, said second bar at one end thereof being offset and adapted to extend transversely of said lever, means for connecting the offset ends of said second bar and said lever together, an evener mounted on the other end of said second bar, and whiliie trees carried by said evener.

Q. A draft equalizer comprising a lev adapted to be secured at one end to the draft tongue of a vehicle, said lever at its free end terminating in a curved portion, the terminal of said curved portion being offset, said lever, intermediate its ends being offset, a har pivoted inwardly from one end thereof to said lever, adjacent the curved end of said lever, a link secured at one end to the other end of said bar, a whillle tree secured to the free end of said link, a second bar pivoted intermediate its ends to the first referred to one end of the first mentioned bar, said secon d har being offset intermediate its ends, and having its offset portion extending transversely of said lever, a link connection between the ollset ends of said second bar and said lever, a third link secured at one end to the free and of said second bar, an equalizer secured intermediate its ends to the free end of said third link, and whilfle trees carried by said evener.

In testimony whereof I affix mv signature.

GEORGE KARMInJN. 

